Process of refining lard and recovering waste lard from spent fullers&#39; earth.



No. 852,442. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907. s. T. LOOKWOOD.

PBOOPSS OP REFINING LARD AND RECOVERING WASTE LARD FROM SPENT FULLERSEARTH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1906.

UNITED s'rA'rEs parent. or uon.

STEPHEN T. LOCKWOOD, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK. PROCESS OF REI- 'INING LARDAND RECOVERING WASTE LARD FROM SPENT FULLERS EARTH.

Specification of Letters'Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1906. Serial No. 326,992-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN T. Loox WOOD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processesof Refining Lard and Recovering Waste Lard from Spent Fullers Earth, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawing, in which the figure represents a diagrammaticview of an apparatus for carrying out the process.

In the ordinary method or process of lard purification the lard is mixedwith fullers earth and is then heated in a suitable tank or receptacleto fiuidity,with live steam. This fluid mixture is pumped into afilter-press by means of which the fullers earth is gathered in cakes inthe cloths of the press while the purified lard is discharged throughthe outets. The cakes of fullers earth, when removed from thefilter-press are, in'weight, about,12%% lard, which lard heretofore waslost; and the fullers earth containing such lard was unfit for furtheruse by reason of such lard content.

It is the main object of the invention to recover this lost material,and at the same time to regenerate the spent fullers earth to such anextent that it may be again used in the purifying process. I accomplishthis preferably by the use of the solvent known as carbon tetrachloridbut, of course, I may make use of any other solvent havin practicallythe same chemical properties in t e same proportions, the same. beingused as described.

Referring to the various parts illustrated in the drawing, 1 designatesa suitable tank into which the lard and fullers earth are introduced andheated by means of live steam which enters said vat through the pipe 2.I may heat this mixture by any other suitable .means. The fluid mixtureis pumped by meansof the pump 3 from said tank to the filter-press 4. Bymeans of this press the purified lard is forced from the fullers earthand passes from said press through the outlet 5. The fullers earth isretained in the press, cakes thereof being formed between the cloths ofthe press.

When the press has been 0 erated to its fullest extent and-cakes of fulers earth are formed therein, carbon tetrachlorid is forced into thepress from "a tank '6 through pipe 7.

hereinafter passes from the press throu h the outlets therefrom and intopipe 8 whidli leads said so- I lution to a distilling apparatus 9. Inthis apparatus the carbon tetrachlorid is vaporized, leaving thepurified lard therein. A The carbon tetrachlorid vapor is condensedinthe condenser 10 and is then passed back into the tank 6 through pipe11.

When all of the recoverable lard has been dissolved from the cakes offullers earth in the press, the flow of carbon tetrachlorid to the pressis shut off and the cakes of fullers earth removed from the press. .Whenthese cakes are dried and pulverized they may be used again in the tank1 as said earth has been practically regenerated or returned to itsoriginal condition and given again its peculiar property ofabsorbinglard or other grease.

bedrawn therefrom in any suitable manner and will be found to be verypure and clean.

I have found that an amount of lard equal to 115% of the weight of thecakes may be recovered by this process from the cakes of fullers earth,and that said lard is clear and pure. v

The great advantage of this invention will be readily appreciated whenit is understood that.there are tons of s ent fullers earth, 12%% of theweight of w ich is lard, Wasted every day in plants for refining lard,and that the recoverable lard contents of said fullers earth are Worthabout 12 cents a ound. The advantage of this invention will e furtherappreciatedwhen it is understood that this refined or cleaned fullersearth is in all respects the same as new fullers earth costing $15 aton.

Carbon tetrachlorid, sometimes called chloro-carbon, sometimestetrachloromethane, has the chemical formula C01 It is a heavy stable,colorless, transparent, liquid compound, insoluble in water; soluble inalcohol and in ether; s ceific (1.60) boils'at 78 cent. 172.4;

gravity 1.56"

While I. have described my invention as i applied to refining andrecovering waste lard, I desire it understood that the process maly beused in refining and recovering waste ta low and other fats and grease.It' will, of

course, be understood, that I do not wish to be limited to the solventknown as carbon tetrachlorid, and I reserve the right to use any similarchemical or chemical combination having the same chemical propertieswhich, when used in a similar manner, will produce the same results.

It will, of course, be understood, that the apparatus illustrated willbe provided with suitable check valves and way valves to secure .theproper operation thereof.

The type of filter-press used in this process is known as the closedtype, and I prefer to use the Perrin closed press so that the apparatusis entirely closed and the tetrachlorid is not exposed to the atmosphereduring the entire operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is 3 1. The process of refining lardconsisting o mixing lard with fullers earth, passing said mixturethrough a filter-press to separate the lard from the fullers earth, andthen passing carbon tetrachlorid through the cakes of fullers earth, andthen distilling the carbon tetrachlorid solution to vaporize the carbontetrachlorid and deposit the lard.

2. The'process of refining lard consisting of mixing lard with fullersearth, heating the same to fluidity, passing said fluid mixture througha filter-press to separate the'lard from the fullers earth, and thenpassing carbon tetrachlorid, under pressure, through said spent fullersearth, distilling the solution to vaporize the carbon tetrachlorid anddeposit the lard, and then condensing the carbon tetrachlorid vapors.

3. The process of refining lard consisting in mixing lard and fullersearth, heating the same to fluidity, forcing said fluid mixture into afilter-press to recover the fullers earth in cakes and separate it fromthe lard, subjectingsaid cakes of fullers earth to carbon tetrachlorid,whereby the lard will be dissolved and removed from said cakes offullers earth, said fullers earth being thereby so cleaned andregenerated that it may be again used in the refining process, thendistilling the carbon tetrachlorid and lard solution to vaporize thecarbon tetrachlorid anddeposit the lard, and then condensing the vaporsof the carbon tetrachlorid.

4. The process of refining lard consisting of mixing the same withfullers earth, heating the mixture to fluidity, forcing the mixturethrough a filter-press to forcethe lard from the fullers earth, thenforcing the solvent of lard through said filter-press, under pressure,to dissolve the lard from the fullers earth, then distilling saidsolution to vaporize the solvent and deposit the lard and thencondensing said vaporized solvent.

5. The process of refining lard consisting of mixing the lard with arefining or clarifying medium, heating the mixture to fluidity, forcingsaid mixture through a filter-press, then forcing the solvent of lardthrough said press, then distilling'the s'olvent solution to recover thelard contained therein and then condensing the solvent vapors.

6. The process of refining lard consisting of mixing the lard with arefining or clarifying I medium, heating the. mixture to fluidity,forcing said fluid through a filter press, then forcing the carbontetrachlorid through the deposited material in said press, thendistilling thecarbon tetrachlorid. to recover the lard containedtherein, and then condensing the carbon tetrachlorid vapors.

7. The process of refining fatty material consisting of mixing the saidmaterial with an earthy refining or clarifying medium, heating themixture to fluidity, forcing said fluid through a filter-press, thenpassing a solvent of fatty material through said press then distillingthe solvent solution to recover the fatty material contained thereinandthen condensing the solvent vapors. I

8. The process of refining lard consisting of mixing lard with aninsoluble refining or clarifying medium, heating the mixture tofluidity, forcing said fluid through a filter-press, then passing carbontetrachlorid through the deposited material in said press, thendistilling thecarbontetrachlorid to recover the lard contained therein,and then condensing the carbon tetrachlorid vapors.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwowitnesses this 14th day of-,July 1906.

STEPHEN T. LOCKWOOI).

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. GEREOKE, MERTON S. GrBBs.

ICC

